The 17th Hana Smart PR ambassadors pose for a picture in the closing ceremony at the company's office in Myeong-dong, Seoul, Thursday. (Hana Financial Group)

Hana Financial Group said dozens of university students had completed its annual training program aimed at nurturing ambassadors on its environmental, social and corporate governance activities.

The banking conglomerate held the closing ceremony for graduates of its “17th Smart PR ambassador” program, who successfully carried out their missions this summer, at the company’s office in Myeong-dong, Seoul, on Thursday.

Since June, 50 university students have worked as Smart PR ambassadors, in a program that plans and carries out environmental, social, and corporate governance activities.

For three consecutive months, the students volunteered for domestic and international projects, suggested creative ideas for mobile applications and platforms, promoted Hana Financial Group via social media, and collaborated with sports teams on brand marketing.

Their missions started off by taking part in the company’s social value creation project “Hana Power On Store.” The ambassadors visited the small business owners facing difficulties amid economic recession to introduce Hana’s small business support campaign such as support grants, necessary education and consulting.

They also went to Indonesia to fulfill and expand the Group’s mission of “Financial services that grow together and bring you happiness.” For the underprivileged children in Indonesia, the ambassadors planned classes of diverse subjects including Korean, provided school supplies, and rebuilt kindergarten classrooms as well as computer labs.

“We hope that the 17th Hana Smart PR ambassador had a great time planning and practicing the social value creation projects for the three month journey,” said Lee Eun-hyung, the vice chairman of Hana Financial Group. “We believe that the passion and innovative ideas of university students will also contribute to the Group’s growth.”